First, on behalf of all CAG executive members past and present, we'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with the hope and promise that comes from working together for the good of our community. It was precisely this spirit that saw informed and engaged Richmond Hill residents show up to effect change in a meaningful way - with our votes. Meg Wheatley said, "There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." Ultimately, this is what we all achieved - together. We discovered what we care about - truth, respect, community, democracy - and we all did what we could to protect it. We showed up. We worked together. We voted.
But, there is still work to be done. The question is, "Who will do the work?"
After the general election, we left you with the understanding that Marian, Marj, Paul and Adriana would meet at the end of 2022 to discuss whether CAG has a role to play in the coming years and, if so, what that might be. The small group of volunteers who make up the CAG executive have all agreed that it's time for us to "call it a wrap", having achieved many of CAG's intended goals. We concluded that the efforts to continue CAG in its current form for the next 4 years is simply not sustainable for the remaining three members of the executive. That is not to suggest, however, that the need for our community to remain informed, engaged and to hold our current council accountable has changed.
It is as important as ever.
Since civic engagement is a persistent and evolving benefit to the community, we remain hopeful that the role CAG has played as an educator and advocate will be taken up by individuals and organizations that share our vision to enhance civic literacy and build social capital. In an effort to assist this sharing of responsibility, we have made a decision that this CAG Richmond Hill website will remain live and the content will be accessible to anyone who needs it. These exhaustive resources have been carefully curated over several years and we hope you'll find them useful in the continuation of this important work. And we'll be there right alongside you, working with you to keep our local democracy strong.
The legacy of CAG is an informed and engaged community of voters, determined to seek out and share information about municipal issues in a way that builds community and adds to the public good.
The legacy of CAG is YOU.
Sending our sincere wishes to you and your families for a healthy, happy and meaningful year.
Our very best,
Marian Nalley, Marj Andre, Paul Rose and Adriana Pisano Beaumont
The CAG Richmond Hill Executive
